Shocked by a low LSAT score

kassiejenkins1

Hi. I got my July LSAT score back yesterday and I’m shocked by how low it is (149). I’ve been studying 15-20 hrs weekly since May and all the PT’s I took leading up to test day have been in the 158-164 range. I scored a 149 on a PT back in May and I distinctly remember that I was extremely distracted at the time. Does anyone have any advice??? I can’t believe my score is this low! I feel like I have a good grip on the material and the basics, so I’m wondering if something went wrong on test day (test anxiety or maybe filling in the scantron wrong). Please help me out!!

sramseur08

I was shocked by mine too.. was consistently scoring in the same range as you and got a 153. Not sure what happened or where to go from here

Katastic

So sorry guys. That is so discouraging. I scored one point lower than my test in March - 154 instead of 155. In between, I completed the 7sage curriculum and shored up my LG strategy (a section I went -17 on in March). I was also puzzled and disappointed by my score.

When are you both planning to retake?

kassiejenkins1

I’m planning to retake in September and October.

Pride Only Hurts

I would say it’s possible you made a scantron error but it’s also possible you just had test anxiety. I feel like anything 5 points below your worst recent PT is very possible just from anxiety alone for some people (myself included). Best thing you can do is get better at the test. (Awful advice, I know). But the better you are, the more confident you will be in test day. If you’re still uncomfortable with RC for example, chances are it will only be worse during the real thing.158-164 is a pretty big range. So I think consistency is going to be key. Find your weaknesses and focus on really mastering those areas of the test.

AudaciousRed

I read a lot of stories just like this on Reddit. Take comfort in knowing you were not the only ones this happened to.
Biggest thing I can say to you is this: this was one time, on one day, and nothing more. It just wasn't your best day. This score is not you, it's not your potential, it's not your fate. And as much as it sucks to be still at it, you get a freebie and will be in good company when it comes to cancellations. Schools will not be shocked in seeing a lot of cancellations from this one. Pick it back up and keep going, guys. It's not over until you decide it is over for you. This is just a hiccup, and nothing more, especially if you were PTing a lot higher.
One thing I would highly suggest would be to go through questions you've missed, and write out an explanation of why a is right and why b,c,d,e are wrong, as though you were explaining it to someone else who had missed it. You can start seeing the holes in your thinking that led to getting it wrong. Teaching someone else (even if just in practice) is a great way to make you review the material in depth.

Regis_Phalange63

So sorry to hear this. I had a huge drop on my first test too. When there is a major difference between where you've been PTing and what you ended up on test day, retake is the way to go. Retake some PTs, do more drills, invest more time. I say it's likely you're going to get a different score that falls within the range you expect in the fall.

dennis.ashley

"Teaching someone else (even if just in practice) is a great way to make you review the material in depth." ^^^

drbrown2

@kassiejenkins1 If you've been putting in all those hours every week you will see results! I promise that one underperformance isn't indicative of how you'll end up. Try to focus on BR and ensure you are overanalyzing questions you weren't 100% sure of, and keep practicing LG every day. My first official score was below my average, so I went back and started blind reviewing more thoroughly and improved by 7 points on my 2nd take, and 4 additional points on the third. Keep working hard and you will continue to improve. If you improve and you score closer to your new improved score range, you'll be in awesome shape!

danielbrowning208

I had a similar experience @kassiejenkins1. Did you get the digital test by chance? I have a hunch that mixing digital with paper may have skewed the curve in favor of those taking on paper (out of both familiarity and the frequent non-responsiveness of the digital test).

PPPPreme

I reallllly feel your pain. I had an extremely similar experience. Almost mirrored yours exactly. After I left the test, I knew I did poorly. I could hardly even remember anything about the test, everything felt foggy and unclear and I was distracted the entire time. This is a painful and difficult thing to get through. It's taken me a long time to get past it, but I hope you don't react to it as I did. As difficult as it is to say, I think you've just gotta put your head down and get back at it, after a little break. Realize that the score isn't you and is certainly not what you're capable of; ignore any doubting in your head that I'm sure has begun to creep in. It was test day anxiety, it wasn't your best day, it was unlucky, etc. Not you.

maxbbarb7

Hey! I actually scored the same exact score as you in July and I practice test in the same range as you (158-164). Personally, I usually get perfect in the game section and for some reason I got stuck on the games in the first section and lost my composure, so I bombed the game section. Ruined my confidence the rest of the test. I was not shocked by my July score because I knew that I had messed up. We all have bad days, it is just one test and it is a freebie. Do not let it discourage you, just stay positive and keep working hard. You already know that you can score much higher. I am hoping to redeem myself in September, but I scheduled my free test in November. Good luck and keep working hard!

Lanecaha

Hi Guys - long shot here, but is anyone familiar with the vouchers we got from taking the July test if we cancelled? I am in a similar boat (I actually scored a 146 in July after PTing in the 157-162 range). I was so discouraged by the low score, and hadn't totally made my mind up about law school in the first place (the july cancel/retake voucher was appealing to me) that I couldn't bring myself to start studying again. I'm considering it now - but I can't find the voucher anywhere. Thoughts?